Tag Archives: healthy recipes

Have you resolved to eat more meatless meals this year? We’ve got some healthy vegan recipes to keep you on track starring our favorite veggie: the potato!

More and more people are eating vegan or vegetarian meals in an effort to stay healthy, but if you’re not used to eating this way it can seem difficult and less than exciting. The trick to making plant-based food delicious is finding vegan recipes that are filling and easy to make without sacrificing healthiness.

A whole food vegan or vegetarian diet can be a lot healthier than the Standard American Diet, because you’re skipping the saturated animal fats in favor of healthy fruits and vegetables. And potatoes are a great way to make a vegetarian or vegan dish filling without sacrificing any of the health benefits! One filling, medium potato with the skin on has:

only 110 calories

0g fat, saturated fat, and trans fat

zero cholesterol and no sodium

4g of protein

8% of your daily fiber, which may help control body weight

Not too shabby for one little spud! On top of all that, potatoes are just plain delicious.

Beyond Vegan Recipes: Kitchen Essentials

You probably have most of the tools and ingredients that you need for these vegan recipes right in your kitchen. We want to set you up for success, so here’s a checklist of some food items and cooking tools that are handy for making vegan recipes:

Non-dairy milk – We recommend plain soy or almond milk, because both work well in place of dairy in any recipe that calls for cow’s milk.

Nutritional yeast – This is different from the yeast you use to make bread rise. Nutritional yeast is available online or in the bulk bin at health food stores, and it gives food a mellow, cheesy flavor.

Vegan margarine or coconut oil – Smart Balance Light and Earth Balance are good options for vegan margarines. If you’re using coconut oil, choose the refined sort, because it doesn’t have a coconut flavor

Flax meal – Ground flax seeds are a great source of omega 3s and work as a binder in place of eggs for baked goods and patties. 1 tablespoon flax + 1/4 cup water = 1 “egg”

Raw cashews – Raw cashews are the secret to creamy vegan sauces. You’ll want to soak them for 4-6 hours, then drain before blending to get the smoothest puree.

Blender or food processor – Sauces and soups come together quickly in the blender.

Crock pot – Set it and forget it for easy vegan recipes.

Rice cooker – This is optional, but you can use a rice cooker for cooking rice and other whole grains (like quinoa or barley). Unlike on the stove top, a rice cooker yields the perfect cooked grain every time.

10 Healthy Vegan Recipes for the New Year

Got your supplies in order? Here are 10 vegan recipes to get you started.

Another filling side dish, you can use any light-tasting oil like safflower in place of grapeseed, but the soaked raw cashews are one place where you should not skimp. Image credit: Edible Perspective.

Adding potatoes to the mix helps lighten up favorite holiday recipes without sacrificing any of the richness.

Potatoes are a healthy addition to your holiday recipes. One potato with the skin on has just 110 calories and 45 percent of your daily requirements for vitamin C. Potatoes also do a good job of filling you up without filling you out, partly because skin-on potatoes provide eight percent of your daily recommended fiber.

On top of their health benefits, potatoes are a great food to help reduce the cost of your holiday recipes. They’re one of the most inexpensive items in the produce aisle, so they help you stretch your holiday food budget a little bit further.

Discover the creative side of potatoes with this mix of traditional and not-so-traditional holiday recipes!

Ramps are wild onions. If you can’t find these at your grocery store, green onions work as a replacement. They give this dish a mild, oniony flavor. This salad makes a healthy side dish with roast chicken or pork. Image Source: MyRecipes.

Pot pie is an easy, inexpensive, one-dish meal to make holiday cooking a breeze. This holiday recipe is kid-friendly and even easier to make with the help of your microwave to cut down on cooking time.

Spring took its sweet time in a lot of the U.S. this year, didn’t it? It was a long, cold winter, but the sun is finally starting to peek through, and warmer days are upon us!

Warm weather means trading winter coats for shorts and t-shirts, swapping boots for sandals, and before too long we’ll be going to pool parties and planning summer beach vacations! After a long winter of hiding under bulky sweaters and heavy coats, you might not be bikini-ready, and now’s the time to start eating healthier to help your body bounce back!

When you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight, it’s really calories that count.

Choosing healthy foods like potatoes and sweet potatoes can help you feel full without breaking your calorie budget.

Did you know that a medium-sized potato has only 110 calories, and a medium sweet potato boasts a slim 103 calories? And a sweet potato has four grams of fiber, which is great for anyone trying to trim down without feeling deprived. Also, fiber helps your body feel fuller longer with fewer calories.

Potatoes and sweet potatoes are also fat- and cholesterol-free foods.

Ready to dive into some potato dishes before it’s time to jump into that swimming pool? We’ve got a few light, healthy potato recipes to help you meet your fitness goals….deliciously!

Blend up some fresh veggies with low-fat milk and cheese for a tasty spring soup! You can serve this on its own or with some whole grain bread for dipping for a satisfying, healthy meal. One bowl has just 159 calories!

Instead of cheddar and sour cream, try a different spin on the loaded baked potato, and top it with fresh veggies instead. A little bit of zesty feta cheese finishes off this quick, 211 calorie dish that won’t let your tastebuds down!

Sweet potato pairs beautifully with spicy curry seasonings in this light, one-dish meal that’s less than 200 calories per serving. Spoon it over brown rice for a little extra fiber to keep you feeling full.

You can make this zesty dish even lighter by toasting your quesadillas in the oven or melting the cheese in the microwave instead of pan-frying. At just 391 calories per serving, though, you’re eating healthy any way you slice it!

Who doesn’t love taco night? Chicken and potatoes pair up with fresh vegetables and a zesty sauce for a supper that clocks in at just 220 calories per two taco serving. Best of all, you can mix it up with the many variations and make tacos just the way you like.

6. Sweet Potato Latkes
A sweet take on this traditional dish, these sweet potato pancakes clock in at only 73 calories each. The secret? Instead of pan frying, you bake these up in the oven.

Spice up that traditional potato salad with plenty of fresh veggies to add vitamins and fiber without adding too many calories. The secret to this lightened up potato salad? We use Greek yogurt instead of fat-laden mayo.

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Recent Comments

MJsays: "These recipes look great, but for the lazy person, I'm going to add my own. It is the stuffed baked potato.
Bake your potato until it is soft, using the oven or microwave.
Cut in half, and scoop out the middle and mash it. Add in about 1 teaspoon of prepared mustard and mash again. It should have a smoother texture. Stuff back into the potato shells. Sprinkle with paprika. If you are doing several, you may wish to re-heat. Voila. Totally simple. Now, I am going to experiment with adding nutritional yeast and soymilk, to see if it comes out a bit cheesy. So pleased to see these recipes."

PotatOHsays: "Susan: that's wonderful! Thank you for your insightful comment and we are so glad that you enjoyed our PotatOHs!"

Susan Hendersonsays: "I love your products. I am a Vegan and potatoes are a wonderful part of my diet. I also find that the growth and harvest of this healthy root crop is actually beneficial to the planet! I won a box of your potatoes last year and used them to the fullest. Thank you, Susan Henderson"

Dorian Shafersays: "I love potatoes & will never stop eating them. There great for lunch, i pop one in microwave. Baked are my ultimate favorite & yes i eat the skin. Red i don't peel for anything. There amazing by themselves. Potatoes are a great source of energy & great anytime !"